France moves to extradite Noriega

20 June 2011 Last updated at 19:24 GMT Former Panamanian strongman, Manuel Antonio Noriega The French authorities say they are preparing to try to extradite the former Panamanian military ruler, Manuel Noriega, back to Panama.

Noriega is currently serving a seven-year sentence in France for money laundering.

But he is wanted by the Panamanian authorities, having been convicted there for crimes committed during his rule in the 1980s.

Once France issues its decree, Noriega will have one month to appeal.

Gen Noriega was extradited from the United States to France last year, having served 17 years of a sentence there for drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering.

Once an informer for the CIA, Noriega was arrested by US troops after their invasion of Panama in 1989.

US consent

A French foreign ministry spokesman, Bernard Valero, said France would move forward with the extradition process having received the consent of the US authorities.

This was necessary under the terms of the extradition agreement that brought Noriega to France in the first place, as he has not yet served the full sentence imposed by the French court.

The former Panamanian was originally sentenced in absentia in France, in 1999, for laundering money from Colombian drugs gangs through a French bank, in order to buy property in Paris.

This ruling was confirmed at a re-trial after his extradition from the US.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Panamanian foreign ministry said Gen Noriega was being sought "to serve a 20-year sentence" for having ordered the killing of Hugo Spadafora Franco.

Mr Spadafora, a political opponent of Noriega, was found beheaded in 1985.

Ten years later, a Panamanian court sentenced Noriega in absentia for the crime.

Noriega, 77, was the de facto ruler of Panama between 1983 and 1989.

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Venezuela moves to cut energy use

14 June 2011 Last updated at 09:01 GMT Venezuela is dependent on hydro-electricity for much of its power Big electricity users in Venezuela have been told to cut consumption or face increased charges.

Consumers who save energy will be in line for discounts, officials said.

The move comes after a series of recent power failures, the most recent last Friday and Saturday when outages affected parts of western Venezuela.

Last year, Venezuela had to cope with rolling blackouts for months, blamed by the government on a severe drought hitting hydro-electric production.

Critics say that the authorities have failed to invest enough to cope with rising demand, and that the state-run utility company is beset by corruption.

In May this year, rationing was reinstated in some parts of the country after power failures affected nearly half the country.

Steady supply

Monday's new measures came after a transformer in Zulia state failed on Friday night, followed by similar problems on Saturday that affected the states of Trujillo, Merida, Tachira and Barinas.

"It's imperative that all Venezuelans contribute to and join in the campaign to save electricity," Energy Minister Ali Rodriguez told a news conference.

"Demand is excessive," Mr Rodriguez said, adding that this stemmed from growing consumption by households, as well as industrial and commercial activity.

Consumers, including industry, big businesses and shopping centres, must cut monthly consumption by 10% compared with 2009 or face additional costs.

"These are measures for an adequate and rational use of electrical energy aimed at maintaining a steady and safe supply", said Vice President Elias Jaua.

Other measures include:

Consumers using more than 20% compared with 2009 levels face increase in charges of some 200%Consumers who cut usage by at least 10% entitled to 25% discountReduction of at least 20% entitles consumers to 50% discount Lights on illuminated billboards and street signs must use energy-saving light bulbs and be switched off at midnight

Hospital, schools, water distributors and oil companies are among those exempt from the measures.

Although Venezuela has big oil reserves, it is dependent on hydro-electricity for some 70% of its power.

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